All is Forgiven, Not Forgotten
by StillNear
Summary: It hurts. Being back-stabbed by people you trusted with all your heart. There is no physical pain, but it leaves something that takes much longer to heal. There is a scar that can fade, but never truly disappear. You can always forgive, but never forget.
1. The Beginning

_My first posted story._

All is Forgiven, Not Forgotten

There it was. That invisible knife stabbed into her back. He seemed good, like the kindest soul out there. But looks can be deceiving. With innocent eyes, soft, black hair, and dimples; he can trick the most untrusting people with false security.

Behind the kind look, there were daggers of pain ready to slice and slash where it hurts most – the heart. Because of him, she swore to never fall for anyone.

She locked her heart and threw the key away into the deep sea. They watched her put on a brave face, but knew she was crying inside.

She's strong, stronger than most, but she was being deceived all these years. Not just from him, but his partner in crime too – her best friend.

Now she looks on, never trusting anyone as much as she trusted him. With a stone heart, she detaches from her old personality and thinks.

She wonders about the what-ifs. She believes it was better to not know, to be ignorant of the whole situation while they talk behind her back.

It helped her grow, but it kept her in the dark.


	2. Keeping Still

_Yay! My first reviews. Thanks. XD._

_Vampire Omega: I'm not really an expert, but thanks anyway. :P_

_Woop D.D. Doo: Thanks! I love your review. :] _

_It's in Misty's POV. I have no idea how to continue this story. The introduction was just a spur of the moment. It was kinda based on what happened to my friend. Suggestions would be helpful. Actually, I think they could be needed. _

_I don't own Pokemon? I don't know why people say it, but… Just in case._

* * *

Keeping Still

They are naïve of the whole mess they created. Those two are the ingredients of my broken heart.

I'm supposed to smile along and pretend that I didn't know.

I still see them from time to time. We chat about the travels and adventures they went on. Only a greeting and five sentences at most.

I wouldn't last any longer – a rush of anger would always boil up inside me.

After the quick exchange, I would excuse myself with a lie of work at the gym or having errands to do.

They wouldn't question the fake story; it was normal for them.

I used to trust those two. They just couldn't keep it. Maybe that's the whole problem for many people out there.

Maybe that's why we have fights, wars, enemies, and pain.

Love makes hate.

It's a harsh cycle. That's why I stopped trusting so much.

It will shield me from hurting.

I guess it's only in the matter of time until I break, but after that incident, I just can't let my guard down.

I'm a shark that can't move, and I'm slowly drowning.

* * *

_It's short. I'll try to make the next one an actual chapter. I don't like this chapter. I think it's not as dramatic as my first, but how much dramatic stuff can you take? I guess it's kinda a break._


	3. Faded Red

_No new reviews. _

_I don't own Pokemon._

_

* * *

_

Faded Red

It was an average day at the gym. Just a couple of kids with starter Pokémon getting beat by the one and only, Misty.

Her sisters were away because they had a call for modeling to showcase different outfits for a famous designer.

There was a soft, but firm knock at the door while Misty was cleaning the mess caused by the last battle.

The redhead peeked through the glass door.

It was who she was expecting: Brock, her old friend. He had been coming to the Cerulean gym once a week ever since _that_ happened. He was one of the few Misty still talked to without any

hesitation. She trusted Brock, not as much as _him_, but enough to be a dear, close friend.

"Hey", the dark-skinned male said.

"Hi," Misty replied softly. Brock wasn't surprised at her tone. He knew what happened.

Despite his wanna-be womanizer and the "breaking tension" act, he was wise and insightful. He knew she was just a broken shell of what she was.

"So what's up?"

"Ummmm… Not much. Daisy, Violet, and Lily went to Paris. It was some kind of breakthrough in their career. I was surprised. Anyway, I'm just here all alone, holding down the fort. Even if

they were here, they wouldn't do anything, so basically nothing changed."

"AWWWWWWW! I didn't get to say bye to my loves!" Brock wailed.

Misty chuckled. It was times like these when she was reminded of the days they were still journeying around.

He was the leader, always full of hope and was determined to become the Pokémon master. That was five years ago. She was now 17 and he was 15. He is the youngest to ever make his

big dream come true. These days, he was still training in his quaint home in Pallet Town.

Brock noticed the mood change. He could read her like an open book.

"Would to like some coffee? We can chat some more," Misty asked.

"No thanks. My brothers and sisters are waiting for me at home. I just wanted to check on you," Brock declined.

"You don't have to. I'm fine," Misty reassured with a sad smile. Brock was skeptic.

"When was lying your thing? Sometimes, you have to face it," Brock questioned. A sudden stillness roamed around.

"I… can't, Brock. I tried more than you know. Sometimes, you have to know when it's time to just give up. It's just that looking at him makes me want to run away and never look back. Ha…

Except I didn't run. I just went back where I started," the girl laughed bitterly. Brock gazed at the scenery, giving her as much space as she needed. A comfortable silence filled the air once

more. "Thanks Brock."

"I didn't do anything," he noted.

"As cheesy as this might sound, thanks for listening."

"I'm happy to. Maybe as a repayment, you can help me get a date with your sisters."

"Bye Brock!" Misty looked away when he left. She never liked watching goodbyes. _He_ was to blame for that. Ever since _he_ left her, she saw _him_ replace her with many different girls.

Misty never wanted to leave. The hurt on her eyes when _he_ just let her go so easily just made her so much more depressed.

When she left, she never heard from _him_ until a year later. By then there was May. Misty liked May. She thought her relationship with Drew was cute.

However, the next time _he _came back, May was discarded and _she _came. Misty sighed and closed her eyes, wanting to shake the memory.

"Ash, if you see what you do to her, what would you think?" Brock whispered outside.

* * *

_Wow. That sucked. I didn't know how to make it less cheesy. The title was inspired of the thought I was about to put, but I didn't know when it was supposed to be spoken. Here it is:_

"_If her hair represented her, it should be faded right now." Or "If she was a rose, right now it's wilting away". I don't know. Something like that. _


	4. Erase Them

_JL01: I like your advice. It was really helpful. :D_

_Vampire Omega: Probably some other cheesy stuff? XD I really don't know…_

_I don't own Pokemon._

"_**What Misty is thinking"

* * *

**_

Erase Them

Misty was just "resting her eyes" on the desk. She needed some shut-eye after doing so much paperwork the whole night. It just piled up while her sisters were away.

Between the battles, visits from her concerned friends, and gym work, she was completely exhausted.

A loud knock woke her up from her much needed sleep. Brushing the grogginess out of her eyes, she walked towards the door, thinking about her insomnia.

"Yes?" Misty held the door politely. She wouldn't have ever guessed it was him. Even after all the trouble he caused, her heart couldn't help but skip a beat with the sight of him. Those child-like chocolate eyes seemed to melt her. His signature hat covered his head, but his black hair still made its way to the sides of his grinning face.

It was _Ash__**.**_

**"After all these years, he still affects me." **

"Pikachu-Pi!" Pikachu called as he scurried up to the surprised redhead. She lifted the electric Pokémon and hugged it tightly before it hopped back.

"He missed you a lot," the visitor informed awkwardly.

"Can't say the same with his trainer," Misty muttered.

"Awwww, come on. Don't be like that! You know I was busy making my dream come true," he defended himself.

"Why are you here?"

"Can't a person say hey to their best friend?" Misty didn't respond. She thought she abandoned that title a long time ago. Ash never did catch on quickly anyway.

"Well, I'm here to invite you to my first anniversary as a Pokémon master! It's been about one year since I won!" the boy announced enthusiastically.

"Oh. Well, ummm, I'm not sure."

"Awwww! Please? You and I can catch up there. Dawn's there too. I remember you two kinda clicked at the other party!" Ash persuaded. **"'Click' my butt." Misty scoffed in her head.**

"Without you, I wouldn't be here. Please?"

"I won't guarantee anything, but I guess I'll try."

"YAHOOOOOOOOO! Thanks Misty, you're the best friend a person can ever have!It's on Saturday at my house." With that, the delighted teen left with Misty looking away.

**"What have I gotten myself into?"** Misty remembered what happened at the last celebration.

It was there the _incident_ took place.

_It_ made her miserable.

_It _changed her.

_It_ made her stronger, but also less trusting.

**"I hope I can get through this."**

**

* * *

**

_Misty only said like four sentences. Yay! Anyway, the next chapter is going to be a flashback of the whole situation Misty had to "witness". _


	5. In the Past

_Petites Sorcieres: That's a great idea! I'll try to do that._

_I don't own Pokemon. This all happened one year ago. FLASHBACKKKK!_

* * *

In the Past

The crowd cheered for him. Many at home cried out of happiness and pride. Ash made it. He was now the new Pokémon Master. Ash looked around the loud crowd. People had flags of his old symbol on his original hat. Others yelled nothing in particular wildly. The young boy made his dream come true. At age 13, he made it. Pikachu ran across the field and jumped to the stunned boy. Dawn and Brock sprinted to the duo and joined the hug.

_Together, they finished the journey._

There was one particular girl who was exceptionally happy. That girl was Misty. She was watching the whole battle. When the battered, yellow Pokémon delivered the finishing thunder shock, Misty couldn't help but grin wildly. It felt like yesterday when she fished Ash out of the river.

_Together, they started the journey._

It would be two weeks after the accomplishment until Ash visited Misty. It would be two weeks until the press died down. It would be two weeks until_ they_ got together.

* * *

"Hey, Misty!" grinned Ash.

"After so long, you see me now," replied the redhead.

"Welllll…"

"Congrats."

"Ha… Anyways, I'm here to invite you to my party!"

"I'll be there."

"I gotta go. More people to invite. See ya!"

"Yeah, bye. Tell Dawn I said hey."

"Will do!"

Misty didn't hear the relationship from Ash or even Dawn. It was on the news. Now, people all across the country knew. The information hit Misty like a ton of bricks. She knew there was a connection between the two, but she tried to ignore it- like she still had some chance. All that hope was down the drain now.

_Never again._

* * *

Misty walked into the party with such grace, her old self would've looked to the new self with envy. She was wearing a black dress and finally put her hair down. The top was shaped like a heart and had straps. The bottom was to her knees and was puffy and soft. Her neck was decorated with a black choker that had a diamond heart. She kept her tomboy personality by wearing the original Converse Chucks.

At the celebration, she met Dawn again. The last time was when Ash visited home. They became friends and kept in touch with the help of phone calls. Before long, they became very close - close enough for Misty to refer to Dawn as her closest girl friend along with May.

"Hey!" Dawn pushed past the crowd gently.

"Oh hi. What's up?"

"Umm, I got with Ash." Misty's heart sunk a little.

"Yeah, I heard. Could've told me before the news did."

"Ah… Ash said that I couldn't tell anybody and we had to date in secret. I guess some nosy paparazzi heard."

"I was just kidding. I'm gonna go say hi to May. I haven't spoken to her in ages."

"Oh. Well she's over there with Drew. They hooked up. Not really surprised. They always flirted and stuff."

"Ha, yeah. It was so obvious." With that, Misty left Dawn. The redhead didn't have any intention to talk to May. She just needed to get away. The gym leader walked outside and sat on the bench. The chilly air rushed around her, but she didn't care. The stars were out and shining brightly. It was a nice place and time to think.

"_I know where the stars are, Misty"  
_

Misty smiled at the memory. It was back when Ash was hers, not Dawn's. "I guess things change", she thought. A warm cloth dropped on her shoulders. Misty looked back. It was Ash, wearing his smirk. He sat next to the girl.

"There you are! I was looking for you! You're missing the whole party. Brock just ate Pokémon food on a dare. It was freaking hilarious! You should've been there."

"Oh. Sorry, I just had to go outside and get some fresh air. It's pretty stuffy in there."

"What's wrong? You've been kind of down."

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"Come on, Misty. I know you better than that."

"It's just… Everyone is moving on," Misty lied partly.

"Well, if nobody moved on, we would just be stuck, and you never, _ever_ want to be stuck," Ash muttered, looking towards the sky.

"I guess. You should go back. You _are_ the star of this whole show."

"Not without you. I was searching for you for a reason. I haven't seen my best friend in so long!"

"Isn't Dawn your best friend?"

"She's my girlfriend, there's a difference!" Misty smiled. It gave her some comfort that she had one part of Ash's heart Dawn couldn't have.

"Fine," the girl sighed. Together, they walked towards the door. Misty reunited with everyone she met so long ago. There was Melody, Rudy, Danny, and even the whole gang of Team Rocket!

They quit the organization a while back and now made a living as actors. They were pretty well known for their costumes and their character's genders. For some odd reason, Jessie would always be the guy while James would be the women. They got together, but everybody knew it was bound to happen. Meowth finally met Meowzie again. Persian left her for another. After some time together, they started dating. They are now expecting a litter of little Pokémon.

Misty talked with everyone. She was having a good time, but a part of her still wanted to cry because of Dawn and Ash. Even though she was happy for them, Misty couldn't help but feel a little betrayed.

* * *

After the party, Misty had an urge to go to the place where she met Ash. She walked along the river, reminiscing the great memories she made with him. Finally, she reached the big rock where Misty fished Ash along with Pikachu. The redhead stopped abruptly when she heard rustling on the other side. Silently, she slid down to her stomach and hid out of sight.

"FINALLY! THE PARTY IS OFFICIALLY OVER!"yelled a boy. Misty recognized it was Ash.

"It was fun though. You reunited with Misty," a girl giggled. Dawn. There was a moment of silence until Ash responded.

"Yeah… I didn't really like her all that much."

"Ha! Me too! I just talked to her because she was just there."

Misty gasped, quietly. Soundless tears dropped from her cheeks and onto the ground. Quickly, she got up and ran, not caring where she would end up.

"What? Wait, did you hear that?" questioned Ash.

"No?"

"Must be my imagination."

Brock found her. She was coiled up under a tree that shielded her from the rain pouring down from the sky. Her dress was torn and soggy. Her eyes were staring at the dirt and empty- just plain and showed no emotion. It took her a minute to notice Brock's presence. When their eyes met, Misty cracked. Pain and sadness crept back to her in a surprise. She spilled everything, crying on Brock's supporting shoulder.

Brock picked Misty up gently when her loud cries turned silent. The breeder walked back to the Cerulean gym and into her room. He tucked her in and kissed her sleeping forehead. Brock stayed the night in the guest bedroom and was ready to listen in the morning. Misty had nightmares. The scene was playing in her head the whole time. She couldn't move on. It was burned in her memories. She couldn't forget it, no matter how hard she tried.

_They never liked her.  
_

She wasn't moving. She was stuck. Ash said you never, ever wanted to be stuck, but he was the reason for Misty's obstacle from moving on. Every day, the line that came from his mouth echoed within her broken mind.

"_I didn't really like her all that much."_

* * *

_I finally updated! Blame it on the mixture of having lots of projects, my laziness, and not getting on the right computer. It's nice to finally have a long chapter, although I have a feeling it could of been longer. Hmmm... Oh well. I wanted Dawn to be a bad person, because she's not really my favorite character. :D But then I remembered on my opening poem thing, I put her as Misty's best friend. The opening was entirely based on my friend's problem, and I didn't really think about how the story's gonna relate to it. Anyway, so that's Misty's trigger to her depression. _


	6. Not Alone

_AshandMistyLove: Aha… I'm still working on the lengths. I'll try to update faster, but I'm not promising anything, except I'm going to at least finish this story. But I'm a liar and never seem to get things done, so don't get your hopes so far up. XDDD_

_Vampire Omega: Misty can't really say no to Ash. :D_

_Yessss. So far, I got at least 5 people that cared enough to review. :] _

_I don't own Pokémon. Is the disclaimer really necessary? I mean, if a person did own Pokémon, they wouldn't be writing a story. They would be making it into an episode. I'm just wondering…_

* * *

Not Alone

"Hmmm… There's nothing here," a frustrated redhead said, pushing useless ingredients for lunch out of the way in the refrigerator. Misty hadn't gone to the groceries since her sisters left. Most of her cabinets in the kitchen were barren. Except for a few apples, water bottles, and diet packets for her sisters, the fridge was almost empty too.

"I guess I'll shop now and eat later. Let's see. I finished the milk this morning. I'll probably need some eggs and bread. Oh! The Pokémon food is about to run out. I'll stock up on that. What am I gonna eat for dinner? Maybe I'll buy frozen pizza or something," Misty thought, scribbling everything down in a notepad with her cluttered writing. She quickly changed out of her blue, bubble printed pajamas into black basketball shorts and a plain, sky blue t-shirt. She ripped the paper, put on her old, blue sneakers, tied her hair into her signature side ponytail, and left to the grocery store in the town.

After arriving to the mart, Misty grabbed a cart in the front and walked in. She scanned the aisles. After she went to the dairy and got the milk and eggs, she tried to find the bread area. While walking there, Misty stared at the list, making sure she had everything she needed for the week.

"Milk. Check. Eggs. Check. I still need some Pokémon food and I'm walking to the bread… So, WHOA!" yelled the redhead. She crashed into another cart.

"I'm so sorry," apologized Misty. She began picking up the food that fell from each of the carts.

"Red?" a familiar voice asked.

"Umm, do I know you?" the girl looked up. She heard that nickname from somewhere, but she couldn't quite remember where. In front of her was a brown, spiky haired teen that was about Ash's age. He had a necklace that had a purple charm hanging. His shirt was black and the collar was popped up. The person's jeans were blue, but it had a purple tint in it. This face had a familiar, but less cocky grin.

"Gary?" Misty recognized.

"So you remember. I haven't seen you around since the party a year ago."

"Uh… I was kind of busy with some things. How's your research?

"Pretty good. How's the gym?"

"I'm second best in the Kanto Region, just behind Sabrina."

"Wow. That's good, considering you're doing everything by yourself."

"Thanks. Are you going to the party?"

"Oh yeah! Ashy-boy lasted a year huh." Misty giggled.

"Yup. What are you buying here? I never saw you as a shopping type."

"I need some Pokémon food."

"Oh. Me too. I don't know which one is the best though. I always bought Pokechomp, but recently, the Pokémon began to only take a few bites and they just leave the rest alone."

"They must be tired of eating the same thing over and over again. You should alternate food. Here I'll show you what combination is good for water Pokémon."

"Thanks."

After picking the remainder of the dropped groceries, Misty promptly took some bread and walked with Gary to the Pokémon food aisle. The boy expertly told Misty what to buy and what to stay away from. Together, they bought their merchandise and out the store.

"Let's hang out," Gary announced.

"Sure. We can catch up," agreed Misty.

"First, let's race to that tree, "Gary pointed. He flashed a quick smirk and put one foot on his cart full of food and the other was kicking off the ground, pushing it towards the plant. After getting enough speed, he placed his kicking foot next to the one already on the cart.

"Cheater!" Misty laughed. It was the first genuine laugh in so long. The girl followed suit. It was a tie. Leaving the cart to the side, the pair sat down under the shade of the tree. They exchanged smiles.

"I could've won if you didn't get in the way," joked Gary.

"Ha! If we started at the same time, then I would've won for sure!" smirked Misty. They talked for awhile. Eventually it started getting dark. The sun was setting and was making a beautiful sunset.

"Do you see that?" asked Misty, referring to the sky.

"Yeah. The sun is setting," Gary said, puzzled at her amazement of something so simple.

"Not that! The colors! There's a lot! Even purple!" stared Misty. Gary chuckled. "At least she loosened up," he thought.

"I see. That's beautiful." A comfortable silence roamed around. The two was enjoying the sight together.

"Wanna eat some dinner with me?" Gary asked bluntly, breaking the quietness after the sun disappeared beyond the horizon.

"That's reminds me! I forgot to get the frozen food. Oh well. Yeah, I guess so. Since it is your fault I forgot, you're paying," Misty accepted.

"Let's go. I'll walk you home to leave the food, and we can go eat somewhere."

They picked up the groceries from the cart and began walking to the gym.

"Errr, no offense or anything, but what's up with the big Dewgong up front?" Gary asked.

"My sisters thought it looked nice. I'll never get them and their tastes," Misty shrugged. Walking into the kitchen took longer than usual. Gary liked to stop once and a while to look into the aquarium at the sides of the hallway.

Putting away the things, they left for the informal restaurant down the street. They sat down at the far end. The seats were connected. The bottom portion was soft and cushiony. The top was sturdier, but still soft enough for a comfortable back rest. The floor was a cream colored tile, and the walls were plain white with some pictures of different foods the restaurant cooked. A waiter passed them the menu. Quickly skimming it, the two ordered a burger with some fries and just had some water. Gary and Misty conversed about the incident, and the boy learned what kept Misty so guarded. The girl felt like she can trust Gary enough. They practically knew each other since they were little, although they hardly talked. When they finished, they went to the park around the restaurant.

"Come on Gary!" pulled Misty towards the swings.

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

When they got situated, Gary asked a question. "Red, why did you leave Ash-boy in the first place?"

Lightly pushing the swings, Misty replied. "My sisters needed to go and my bike was fixed, so I didn't have much of a reason to stay."

"You could've stayed for him."

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I'm talking about. Back then, everyone knew you guys were gonna end up together. Team Rocket, me, and even Delia! You guys were always teasing each other, but that's just code for "I like you". "

"I guess, but it was all a lie. Dawn got him now, anyway. He moved on."

"You didn't though. If you did, you would've drooled all over me," Gary joked. Misty returned with a smile. Swinging in silence, Gary suddenly had an idea.

"How about we show Ashy-boy? With some great acting skills, we can make him very jealous."

"He doesn't even like me, remember?"

"I'm sure he didn't mean it, or maybe you heard wrong."

"I wish, but I guess we can try it just to see what happens. Explain what we have to do."

"We have to fake date. But don't get so caught up with my good looks."

"Ha! As if I would. Sure, let's do it."

"This'll be interesting. Let's race on the swings before go. The one who is higher after a minutes wins," challenged Gary, already swinging harder.

"Arghhh! Cheater! You're already half way!" Again, it was a tie. Jumping to the ground, Gary held out his hand towards the girl.

"Come on, I'll take you home, new girlfriend." Misty took it and they flashed each other a grin.

"Yeah. Let's go."

* * *

_I was thinking about Rudy instead of Gary, but Rudy is kind of ugly. His hair is pretty weird… Gary is better than Rudy. Plus, I have this feeling if they hung out it wouldn't be a disaster. Gary seems less snobby or whatever since he got replaced by Paul. I was about to make Gary date Misty for real, but then I thought things through for once and realized it would've made things so much more complicated. _

_I forgot to say. The flashback dress is like the one Demi Lovato wore in the song La La Land. I don't even listen to her. It just popped into my head. I couldn't figure out a dress that Misty would wear. She seems like the person to wear converse with a dress. I realized I could've had descriptions for Ash and Dawn. But I guess that would've been boring to write and read. I always skim descriptions of what people wear and stuff. It's just so uninteresting. Haaaaa. Ash was 14, not 13 when he won the title of Pok__é_mon Master. I don't want to replace the whole thing. I'll change it when I revise the story later on or not. Depends. :D

_I don't know genre of my own story (which is weird). Can someone tell me? I'm pretty sure it's angst or something sad, but I could always be wrong… _

_Hmmm… The next update is probably going to take awhile because I don't have a good idea of what's going to happen at the party. Just to warn you. I'm not going to quit though (hopefully)!_


	7. Unravel It

_JL01: Thank you! I really needed to know the genre. It kinda annoyed me when it was just a general story. XD_

_Nauran: Yup! I agree! _

_I don't own Pokémon._

* * *

Unravel It

Misty was getting ready for the worst night of her life. She would have to watch Ash and Dawn make lovey-dovey faces and gestures to each other the whole night. At least now she had Gary, a friend whom she was forever grateful to.

He saved her from the suffering Misty had to deal with everyday. When they are together, just hanging out, the redhead can feel her head clear of all the things Ash and Dawn ever said to her. It's like Gary is the ocean tides cleaning and smoothing out the sands of the beach. He's peaceful wave, trying to even out Misty's rough edges. Misty and Gary grew considerably close for only a few days together. They practically never left each other's side. Gary usually stayed at the Cerulean gym. Misty was a bit lonely since her sisters weren't there.

Misty brushed a minimal amount of dark eye shadow and put a little mascara on her eye lashes. She glided ChapStick on her lips; the girl never liked the thickness of lipstick. Over the year, Misty grew out her fiery, red hair. It now reached her shoulders. For the party, Misty decided to put it down. It looked like the hair she had when she did the performance of the "Underwater Ballerina", but she didn't wear the pearls that hung around the back of her head.

The redhead slipped into black skinny jeans that showed her figure. A studded belt held the pants at her lower hips, just below her belly button. Along with a tight fitting, blue t-shirt, she wore a dog tag necklace that had the words love and happiness engraved in capitalized letters. It represented what most people in the world want in life; things that Misty seemed to be missing. On her wrists, there were many different colored bracelets that Misty made herself. She liked to weave them on her spare time. She even made one for Gary. It was black and dark purple. Her feet had simple black heels. It didn't cover the top of her feet, but it shielded her toes. The heels weren't that high, but it made the 5'4'' girl seem a little bit taller.

The gym leader heard a honking sound outside the Cerulean Gym. It was Gary. He was Misty's "boyfriend" for the night. Misty quickly went outside, grabbing her denim jacket. Gary was leaning on his polished Mercedes Benz. It gleamed under the moonlight. Even though it was only about six o'clock, the winter air rushed the sun to set.

Gary wore grayish, low-rise jeans that were accompanied by a black, leather belt. His shoes were old Converses that the boy lazily put on. His white shirt was a bit loose on his toned chest. Gary's flannel jacket was black. It was unbuttoned and he pushed the sleeves up to his elbow. On his right wrist was the bracelet Misty gave him. His brown hair was sticking out in any possible direction, but it managed to have a "clean" look to it.

As Misty walked towards the boy, Gary flashed a smile at her direction.

"Hey. Looking good, Red," Gary greeted.

"You too. Nice ride," Misty commented, admiring the paint job on the car. She ran a hand over the silver hood.

"It was a gift from my grandfather. He thought I needed to travel faster to research different Pokémon," shrugged Gary.

"I walk everywhere. You don't know how lucky you are. How is Professor Oak anyway?" asked Misty.

"Good. He has Tracy doing everything. The guy practically worships him. I wouldn't be surprised if Tracy had a shrine for him."

"Daisy wouldn't like to hear that. I bet she misses him," Misty commented.

"They're going out?"

"Nope. I bet they're going to though."

"I see. Come on. Let's go before we're late," Gary said, opening the passenger door for Misty.

"Thanks," Misty told the boy, not just for the door, but for everything he did for her.

"No problem," Gary smirked. They both entered the car and drove to Ash's house in Pallet Town.

* * *

Ash was pacing around his house, thinking about his party guests. More specifically, he was wondering about Misty. He hadn't seen her around a lot. The girl never seemed to visit, and Ash was too busy. However, when he _did _visit, Misty would always say she had too much work and didn't have the time to talk. After the second visit, Dawn told him she was probably _avoiding _them. Ash couldn't find _one _reason for his best friend's avoidance. The boy thought maybe she just needed some time to think about the change everyone was going through, remembering their last real conversation. He inwardly sighed. The Pokémon Master was too deep in thought to notice his blue-haired girlfriend staring at him.

"I bet he's thinking about Misty," the coordinator silently sighed.

"Hey! Earth to Ash," Dawn waved her hand in front of her boyfriend's face. Ash's eyes quickly refocused.

"Yeah?"

"Can you not think about Misty once awhile? I know she's your best friend and all, but_ I'm _your _girlfriend_."

"I-She- But- We- Can we just talk about this later? I heard a knock on the door."

"Ash!" Dawn quietly growled, but the boy ignored it, silently praying she would forget after the celebration.

Ash opened the door to reveal his childhood friend/ex-rival and best friend. He was surprised how they stood so close to each other, but didn't want to think about the possibility.

"Hey, you guys. Glad you can make it, Mist," Ash welcomed, brightening at the sight of the redhead. The visitors walked into the house and Ash closed the door.

"Yeah." Misty was amazed how one year can change a person. Although Ash stopped by once in awhile with Dawn, she never once observed how he grew.

Ash was around Gary's height of 5'9'' and was well-built after all the training he took part in, but he was still slim. Without his hat, his black hair was still unruly as ever, and his lopsided grin that was always printed on his face remained. The marks on his cheeks were still there, but his eyes held a kind of maturity that wasn't there when Misty traveled with him. The Pokémon Master wore a black dress shirt that had an open collar. His white tie hung loosely in the middle of his stomach. His black skinny jeans looked slightly sagged and he wore black Vans high tops. He didn't have his usual gloves on, but instead a leather wristband.

"Hi! How are you two?" Dawn gracefully appeared. Misty took some time to look at her too. The blue-haired girl was an inch shorter than the redhead and didn't have her hat or her clips. Her bangs fell just above her perfectly shaped eyebrows. She wore a sleeveless light pink dress that was cropped around her waist. The top portion was cut close to her neck and the bottom flowed to her middle thighs. She wore white leggings that ended at her shins and baby pink gladiator sandals. Dawn wore light makeup and had a forced smile that looked beautiful even though it was strained. In short, she looked like an angel on earth.

"We're fine," Gary said, somewhat protectively. He only heard stories from Misty about Dawn, but the boy could feel something bad was about to happen.

"Are you guys going out?" Ash asked curiously.

"Uh, yeah we are," Gary and Misty stuttered simultaneously.

"Cool! Maybe we can double date sometime!" Dawn said, weirdly excited over the news. Ash felt a ting of jealously, despite him going out with Dawn.

"Ummm… Sure, I guess." Misty told the blue-haired girl, knowing it would never happen. A knock signaled other visitors. Ash opened the door as Misty and Gary walked towards the kitchen. There were different foods and congratulation banners. There was also faint music coming from the speakers placed on the upper cracks of the ceilings. Soon, it became pretty noisy. At this party, there were only Ash's close friends he made during his travels. Jessie and James were there along with Tracy, Brock, Professor Oak, and May, who brought Drew. Max was too busy traveling around, but he sent a postcard saying congratulations. Meowth had the new kittens and couldn't leave them for a few seconds.

May took off her gloves and wore her green bandana on her right wrist, leaving her hair flowing. She wore a denim skirt and a green tee. She had light green wedges on.

Drew had on a black, long sleeved shirt and a short-sleeved, purple jacket. His pants were mint green and his shoes were a little bit darker than his pants. He looked exactly the same as when Ash and the gang met him. He said that it was a hassle to get a wardrobe of different styles and stuff so he buys numerous outfits of the same style. May thought it was a bit weird looking in a closet of identical things, but she adjusted when she moved in.

Brock wore an orange v-neck and had a black t-shirt under. He had bulky, cargo pants on and a black belt. The end of the strap was hanging.

Professor Oak and Tracy entered the party a bit later than everyone else. They said they were caught up in some new discovery. Professor Oak looked about the same. He had his usual collared shirt and khaki pants. On his feet was some pair of Oxfords. A lab coat with a few pens ended at his knees. His hair was a mix of gray and white.

Tracy had a hair band that was blue. He had a faded red shirt and shorts that matched his hair band. His shoes were the same purple shoes from the adventures Misty went with him. He brought along a pouch full of his sketching utensils.

Jessie wore black, leather boots that came above her knees. She wore something similar to her uniform design during her Team Rocket years, but it was a one piece dress and her stomach wasn't exposed. James didn't have his boots, but instead Classic Vans that were entirely black. He had a grey turtleneck sweater and gray slacks. All in all, the couple looked like they wore their old clothes, but without the "R" and the gloves. Old habits die hard, they had noted once. Their hair was still the same unusual colors and style.

Brock and May were ready to pounce Gary and Misty with questions when they walked into the kitchen. In order to silence them, Misty was left with no choice but to reveal the plan. Brock and May weren't too judgmental, but asked the "couple" if they thought everything through. Gary reassured them, although he was partly lying and had some doubt within his mind. Brock and May didn't believe Gary for a second, but didn't want to push it.

* * *

Ash, Misty, Gary, and Dawn engaged into a conversation once everybody arrived and got situated. They talked about Ash's long history of trying to make his dream come true. Eventually, they reached a point where they were conversing about Misty's leave. Ash's smile faltered a little, something Dawn noticed. Her mind snapped.

"And so-", Misty started.

"Hey, can you come outside with me?" interrupted Dawn. Misty looked towards Gary with uncertainty. The boy cupped her cheek and whispered to her ear. It looked like they were flirting.

"You should go and see what she wants. I'll be here."

Ash looked away. He assumed Gary muttered something about never wanting to let her go. An unpleasant feeling was stirring up inside of him. Dawn saw it and anger flooded all of her other thoughts. Even though the blue-head was mad, she looked as elegant as ever. She grabbed Misty away from Gary and pulled her outside to the chilly air. They were near the bench where the redhead and the Pokémon Master had their talk.

"Ah!" yelped Misty.

"What are you doing?" Dawn demanded, frowning.

"Huh?"

"Don't play dumb! Flirting with Gary and making Ash, _my_ boyfriend, all jealous!" Misty looked at Dawn with disbelief. Why would Ash be jealous? She was "dating" Gary in order to make him envious, but she didn't think it would actually work. Everything started spinning. The words came back to her. Nothing made any sense.

"_I didn't really like her all that much."_

He said those words. She was sure, but why would he be jealous? It didn't make any sense. No sense at _all_.

"Why? It doesn't make any sense." Misty croaked. A loud slap echoed through the quiet garden. Dawn's angelic hand connected with Misty's blank face. Slowly, the gym leader raised her hand and gently touched the red mark. She couldn't feel it. She was numb, but she heard the impact on her cheek. Tears pricked her eyes, but Misty vowed she wouldn't cry.

"Why? Because he loves you, he doesn't know it, but he does. You always had him. I was just there," Dawn quietly scoffed. Misty didn't hear, but she wasn't meant to. Dawn realized the truth once it was said aloud. Water silently cascaded out of the coordinator's eyes. She was sad about being used like that, although it wasn't intentional. Dawn knew the slap wasn't meant for the redhead, but all her compressed anger had to be released. She was sorry, _so_ sorry, but she couldn't help but feel relieved of the lifted burden.

The girl turned and walked to the door, knowing Misty wouldn't listen to her apologies. Misty sat down at the bench and tried to make out what had just happened.

Gary stormed towards Dawn and blocked the exit of the Ketchum House.

"What did you do?" He asked. Gary saw the faded tears on her cheeks, but didn't move.

"Tell her, I'm sorry." Dawn pushed Gary out of the way and ran out. Ash noticed Dawn, but she left before he could ask her what was wrong.

"Gary! Where is she going?"

"She's going to try to forget." Ash was filled with a strange sense of relief. His next emotion was confusion.

"Aren't I supposed to be sad? Angry she ran out without any explanation?" Ash thought. He went outside and saw Misty.

"Hey!" Ash greeted. His sudden presence startled Misty, but she quickly composed herself.

"What are you doing here?"

"I needed some time to think. Is that your reason too?"

"Yeah."

"I'm going to ask you a question, okay?" Ash warned, sitting down on the bench next to Misty.

"Um, okay?"

"Why are you avoiding me? Did I do something wrong?" Misty didn't expect it. She looked towards the starry sky, thinking of ways to explain.

"You don't like me," Misty said after some time of thinking.

"Huh? You're my best friend! Why wouldn't I like you?"

"You said to Dawn. She said she didn't like me either. It was a year ago at the place where we met." Ash realized what she was talking about. The boy started laughing.

"HEY! THAT'S NOT FUNNY!"fumed Misty, hitting Ash.

"I'm sorry! It's just that me and Dawn were talking about how we felt about you when we met you!" Ash tried to cover his laughter. Misty stopped and realized it was all a sad misunderstanding. Silent tears escaped, ignoring her promise.

"Hey, what's wrong? I don't hate you. I'm sorry for laughing," Ash hugged Misty gently. The girl shook her head in the embrace.

"I just feel like I missed a whole year of my life. I was depressed about everything." Ash felt like he needed to cheer her up; it _was _partly his fault. Ash tilted her chin and lightly kissed Misty's lips. Shock ran across the girl's face, but she accepted it and closed her eyes. It took some time until Ash realized what he was doing. He gently pushed Misty away.

"I'm sorry!" apologized Ash. He rushed into the house, leaving Misty wondering. "She's Gary's now. I guess I missed my chance." He walked up to his room and stayed there for the rest of the night, thinking about his mistake.

* * *

Misty touched her lips. Gary knocked on the glass door, catching Misty's attention. He leaned against the wall.

" This party wasn't like I imagined. Dawn broke up with him. She's sorry. You should talk to Ash later and explain everything. He locked himself upstairs. I don't think he'll take any visitors. I say we did well," smiled Gary. Misty nodded in agreement, returning the smile. Gary held his hand out.

"Come on, I'll take you home, new best friend," Gary offered, referring to their first encounter.

"Yeah. Let's go."

* * *

_I tried to separate the describing paragraphs from the actions things. That way, it's easier to skim, if you are anything like me. :D So Dawn isn't a bad guy, well she was for awhile, but now she's not. I think it's better this way. The end was a bit rushed. Oh well, hopefully my next update doesn't take forever. Sorry for some of the mistakes in the chapter. *When Misty and Dawn were crying, they didn't have washed up make up or whatever. Just pretend they have waterproof mascara or whatever. XD. *_


	8. Journey Back

_Lucifer's Nightmare: Hmmm… I'll try to drag this story out. :D I'm just kidding. But I really I don't know. I have no plan…_

_I didn't recognize you there. Thanks for your reviews._

_I don't own Pokémon._

* * *

Journey Back

Ash was huddled in his bed, wide awake. A small mouse Pokémon was asleep next to the boy. A soft knock came from the door.

"Ash? Hey Ash? Are you awake?" Delia called gently. She sighed in defeat when she heard no reply from her son. She had no idea what took place during the party, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to know that it wasn't good. Ash slowly turned from the wall he was staring at when he heard his mother's retreating footsteps.

"How am I going to talk to Misty after this? What about Dawn and Gary?" wondered Ash. Billions of unanswered questions were roaming inside his mind. "Arghhh!" the boy groaned, covering his eyes with his forearm. He was having a killer headache. Pikachu was startled from the sudden bed shift, but he quickly went back to his dream of ketchup.

* * *

"Yes… Uh huh…. Yeah, I'll come," Misty said, talking on the phone. Delia was worried about Ash and asked Misty to come and try to help him. "I don't think I'll be much help, but better talk to him now than later," she thought.

Misty put on her blue jeans and a simple grey sweater that looked big on her. She wore her black vans and didn't wear any makeup. Her hair was tied into pigtails that were resting on her chest. The gym leader flipped the "Open" sign to "Closed" and grabbed her old, red drawstring backpack that had some of her Pokémon inside with a few supplies.

The girl walked to Pallet Town. She didn't have her own ride and Gary had to do some research with his grandpa. It wasn't that much of a long walk anyway. Misty passed through the familiar pathway. She used to walk to Ash's house when he was away. Misty didn't like leaving Delia all alone, but she was also waiting for Ash. Misty thought it was pathetic, but she didn't want to miss Ash going back home. Once a week, the redhead would talk to Delia, and the two grew a mother-daughter relationship. Delia was a bit sad about how things turned out with Dawn and her son, but her mother instincts told her things will sort themselves out.

Misty liked walking outside the gym. She thought the gym was a disease she could never get rid of- her own form of cancer. Whenever you think it's gone, it comes back and surprises you, deadlier than ever. Even if it was for a few moments, Misty would do anything to get out of her cage. She couldn't stand it. Sure, Misty loved the Pokémon and the young trainers that were so full of life, but she wanted to be the world's best water Pokémon trainer. She couldn't accomplish that while she was stuck in this dump. It frustrated her. All her friends were out living their life while Misty was stuck _again._ Her dreams were on hold and… Ash. It was like her life screwed her over.

Misty was so wrapped up in her thoughts; she didn't even notice she was already in Pallet Town. The redhead walked up to the Ketchum residence. She stood frozen in front of the door. Behind her unemotional façade she had, Misty was scared. She saw her hand ball up into a loose fist and tap on the door.

"Hello?" opened Delia.

"Ummm… I'm… Er… Here?" Misty stuttered. Delia let out a soft giggle.

"I believe Ash is still upstairs in his room."

"Uh… Oh… Kay." Misty climbed the stairs and silently stepped in front of Ash's door. "Dang. This again. I hope my hand or _feet_ won't do anything stupid," the girl thought. "Okay, deep breathes. In… Out… Okay. I got this. I got this. Yes, for sure, I got this… I think."

Misty slapped her cheeks and finally knocked on the door. "Hello? Ash? Misty here! Gotta talk to you!" She waited for a reply, but didn't hear one. "I'm opening the door!"

The redhead wasn't really surprised how messy Ash's room was. Clothes were scattered around the room and the dresser had a bunch of random statues and papers. It _was_ a bit weird how the Pokémon master lived in a pigsty though.

Misty _was_ surprised that the only living thing in the room was Pikachu, sleeping soundly without a care in the world. She noticed a breeze coming from an open window.

"Huh? Where could that numskull be?" wondered Misty. "He wouldn't leave Pikachu behind, but I guess I'll have to find him. Can't worry Delia." That meant she had to jump out of the window too. Delia would question her at the exit.

"You don't know what I do for you, Ash Ketchum," Misty seethed. She let one foot dangle out the window as and looked down, but had to quickly look up. "Probably shouldn't have done that. Well, if an idiot can do it, I can too! I just hope I won't break a leg."

The reluctant gym leader turned and now had both of her legs out of the window. "One, two, THREE!" Misty counted down. On three, she jumped, bending her knees as she reached the ground and stretching her arm out. "Yes! Made it out in one piece!" Misty congratulated herself, patting her body to make sure there were no injuries.

"So where is Ash?" Misty pondered. "Let's see… I guess I'll have to go check just about… everywhere? I'll start at Brocks'."

* * *

"Um, no. I haven't seen Ash since yesterday. Is something wrong?" Brock asked.

"Nothing's wrong. Nothing at all. Well I gotta go," Misty dashed away.

* * *

"Nope, Tracy and I haven't heard from Ash from last night. Did you try Brock?" Professor Oak suggested.

"Yeah. I was just there, but he didn't hear from Brock. Huh… Well, thanks for your help," the girl walked away. "I guess I'll have to keep searching," Misty kicked a rock.

* * *

It was late afternoon. People walking back towards their house could hear a distant call of "Ash" and a few fast steps. "I looked about everywhere around Pallet Town, and I called May and Drew. He's not at home. The window was still opened, last I checked. Where could he possibly be?" Misty asked herself. Suddenly, a light bulb magically appeared on top of her head. "Oh! There is _one _place I haven't looked."

* * *

"It's getting dark. Better get back. I hope Mom isn't worried or anything," a dark haired boy spoke, although he wasn't moving. He saw the gorgeous sunset reflecting on the river. _That_ river, the one that _she_ fished him out of.

The array of colors from the sky was beautiful. It was like a painting that only lasted for a few short minutes. "If only I can share it with _you_," the boy thought. He heard a call of his name and a few heavy breaths.

A girl was running towards him. She stopped a few feet away from the boy, "I was looking everywhere for you, Ash Ketchum!" the redhead yelled.

"Misty?" Ash was baffled. Even though the gym leader was dressed in simple clothes and had no makeup, Ash thought the girl was even prettier than the sky.

"Misty? That's all you can say? Not a sorry? I went everywhere trying to find you and that's it?" Misty plopped down next to the Pokémon master.

"Oh. I'm sorry." That was it until they fell into silence. They both didn't know what to say. It wasn't all that awkward though. The two liked to admire the sunset.

"You know, this is where we met and where you stole my bike," Misty said.

"How can I forget? It was the start of an adventure."

"Yeah. You, me, and Brock. The awesome trio."

"Uh huh."

"Gary and I aren't dating. We did it to see what it would do to you. It was like a mean experiment. I'm sorry," Misty confessed.

"Don't be. I'm kind of glad. Dawn wasn't the one. I knew it, but I ignored my feelings. Sorry for kissing you though," Ash turned to the redhead and smiled his unique smile.

"Don't be," Misty suddenly kissed Ash.

"Wha?"

"I love you. When we were traveling too."

"Huh. I love you too. I started dating Dawn to try to get over you. I didn't know you liked me back."

"Weird. So we both like each other."

"Not weird. I'll say it's perfect." Ash kissed Misty again.

"Perfect it is."

"This is also where I heard you with Dawn," Misty said, breaking the comfortable quietness that came back.

"I'm sorry. "

"Yeah. It gave me so much sadness and anger."

"I'm sorry." Ash kissed away Misty's tears that had surprisingly fallen.

"I won't forget it. I was so miserable and lonely."

"Not anymore."

"Yeah. Not anymore," Misty smiled and kissed Ash.

* * *

_I know, I know. It's been ages. I'm sorry, really sorry. I always hated it when people take forever to finish their stories, and now I know why. Arghhh! I hope you guys remember this story. T.T So sad. At least I'm up to 10 reviews. Yes… I won't beg for reviews, but it would be nice. ;D Anyway, I need to hurry up and finish this story because another idea is floating inside my mind, but I don't know if I'll write it out. I don't know if this is the last chapter. Probably not. I'm a bit sad how this chapter isn't as long as the last one. Oh well… I also realized I use much of the same words over and over again throughout my whole story. I'm sorry. I need to widen my vocabulary._


	9. Sewing Everything Together Again

_The Sword of Magus 90 ITA: I'll write one for sure. :D_

_Jane Hawthorn: Thank you for reviewing. I like your insight about the chapters. I bet you would be an awesome writer. XD_

_Macy Webber: Thanks! It's wonder how a short sentence can make a person so happy. :)_

_I don't own Pokémon._

* * *

Sewing Everything Together Again

"I wonder what's taking the kids," Delia spoke with her worried tone. She sat on the oak dining table, drinking some warm tea to calm her nerves.

"Mime, mime," Mimey replied, sweeping.

"I hope so," Delia sighed.

* * *

"Does that mean we have to climb back up?" Misty asked.

"We'll just walk in the door. I'm sure everything would be fine," Ash grinned.

"Yeah. 'Fine', you say," Misty said sarcastically.

Things were really looking up for those two. They had walked back from where they first met, only getting lost once or twice. Misty had already broken out of the shell she had made when the incident occurred. She was now back to the fiery redhead everyone grew to love and care for, especially Ash.

The couple walked to the house. Ash opened the door with Misty on his side. Delia was really surprised to see Ash's hand intertwined with Misty's when they walked in. She knew it was bound to happen, but she didn't think it would happen so soon. Ash had his boyish smile while Misty wore a slight blush.

"Umm, when did you two leave the house?" Delia asked lightly.

"Er, I had to get my mind some fresh air, so I jumped out of the window," Ash said shyly. His free hand rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"I had to find the idiot," Misty answered, looking away.

"Okay, so when did you two get together?" Delia questioned, trying to comprehend the situation with her son.

"About a few moments ago," Ash replied.

"Uh huh… Well, Misty, welcome to the family, although I already considered you my daughter ever since little Ash told me about you," Delia beamed and made Misty color even more.

"Thanks, I guess," Misty mumbled. Ash squeezed her hand and gave her a reassuring smile.

"We should tell the others," Delia babbled on.

"Oh, I forgot! What about Dawn? I feel like a big jerk," Ash remembered.

"You should find her. You can't leave her hanging like that. I still want to be her friend. After a year of not speaking to her, my life got really boring," Misty advised.

"You're the best, Mist," Ash kissed his new girlfriend. It was really easy being with her.

"Tell me something I don't know," the redhead smirked.

"Umm, I love you?"

"Know that too."

* * *

Ash went to Dawn's house. Misty sent Pikachu to look after him while she stayed back. She trusted Ash, but she felt that her presence would make the situation a bit awkward, and Pikachu could be a tension releaser. Ash knocked on the door.

"Hello?" Dawn's head peeked through. A quiet gasp escaped from her mouth.

"A-Ash, wha-what are you doing?" the girl stuttered. She didn't know how to act after that night.

"Hey. Um, we kinda need to talk," Ash told her with a shy smile. Pikachu was on his shoulder, giving him some confidence.

"About?" Dawn inquired politely, but she knew. Some part inside her didn't want to. Some part just wanted to lock away her memories. That some part just wanted to forget everything. She didn't want to confront it.

"Us," Ash replied bluntly. They couldn't avoid it.

"Okay," Dawn motioned him in. They sat on the couches facing each other. It was separated by a coffee table.

"Want anything to drink?" Dawn asked.

"No thanks," Ash shook his head. Pikachu was licking the packets of ketchup Dawn brought.

"Where's your mom?" the boy questioned.

"Out," Dawn looked at her fidgeting fingers. They were avoiding it - the topic Ash wished to talk about. Inside, Ash contemplated whether to keep it simple and detached, or to get right on it. He determined to do the lather. It just wasn't him to be cold and Ash wasn't the Pokémon master for just training. His fast thinking helped him too.

"So, basically, I'm sorry. Sorry for using you like that. I didn't mean it, but thank you. Without you, I wouldn't have known," Ash apologized. There was a long time with silence, and Ash was wondering if Dawn even heard him.

"I forgive you. The times with you were nice, but I always felt like it wasn't you completely. I ignored that feeling. I should've known," Dawn finally said as she looked away. Tears were slowly escaping her eyes. The girl was suddenly engulfed with a warm embrace.

"You'll find someone better than me. I'm sure of it," Ash said. He was unsure if a hug was appropriate, but it was the least he could do after what he did. Dawn's cries grew softer as they stayed that way.

"T-thank you," Dawn pulled away. She wiped her tears.

"Friends?" Ash asked.

"Always," Dawn smiled back. "What about Misty? Did she forgive me?"

"Yup. She's the one who told me to see you," Ash answered. Dawn blew a sigh of relief. She had missed her, even though she was a bit jealous of the redhead. "They were meant to be together anyway," Dawn thought in her head. You couldn't argue with that.

"Well, I better get going," Ash got up.

"Okay. Bye Ash. Tell Misty I said hey," Dawn flashed another perfect smile.

"Will do. Come on Pikachu!" Ash gestured to the electric mouse. Pikachu waved "bye" to the girl and scurried back onto Ash's shoulder.

* * *

"Hey," Ash stopped to smirk at the redhead that was standing in the middle of the pathway. Her hands were placed on her hips lazily. She placed most of her weight on one foot, tapping her other one. "Thought you had some faith in me."

"I do. I just needed to make sure," Misty grinned. Ash kissed the girl.

"Nice to see you again," the boy murmured in her ear.

"Yeah. Glad she forgave you," Misty whispered back. The two held hands and walked back to Ash's house. The night was dark, but bright stars lit the sky.

"Hey Mom, I'm back," Ash let himself in.

"I'm sure everything went fine," Delia welcomed the two.

"Yeah," Ash replied, pleased.

* * *

Misty decided to sleep over. It was already dark, and the couple didn't want to walk back. The day was exhausting. During the course of the night, after watching a few movies, Misty and Ash accidently fell asleep on the couch. Delia walked down stairs only to see the sight of them together. She smiled at the sweet scene and draped a blanket on them. "Goodnight kids," Delia spoke softly as she walked back up to her room.

Misty's eyes slowly blinked into consciousness. The first thing she thought was how great her sleep was. The redhead didn't know why until she turned to face Ash, who was still sleeping. His quiet snores could be heard when Misty was so close. His arms were around the redhead's waist, securing her from falling. Misty thought Ash looked adorable. His slightly parted mouth and his disheveled hair couldn't look anymore cute. She couldn't help it. Misty kissed Ash awake.

"Hey Ash," Misty whispered.

"Mmm," Ash groaned. He lifted one of his hands to rub his eyes. "Misty?"

"Who else?" Misty smirked. The two sat up straight. They took some time to stretch before Misty was pulled to another embrace.

"I have to go back home," Misty told him.

"Why?" Ash whined. Misty sighed. She knew this was going to be hard.

"I need to feed the Pokémon. I still have responsibilities," Misty reminded.

"Aww… fine," Ash said after he flashed her his puppy eyes. He was reluctant to let her go, but what could he do? "How about I come with you?"

"You have responsiblies too. Don't worry, I'll be back later," Misty kissed him. "Tell Delia I said bye and thank you!" They exchanged their own byes and Misty left. Pikachu jumped to Ash's knees and licked his cheeks.

"Thanks, Pikachu," Ash pat his Pokémon's head. It was going to be a long day without Misty.

* * *

Misty was walking back when she heard someone call her name. It sounded like… "Gary?"

"No, it's one of your sisters," the boy sarcastically remarked.

"Hey! I thought you were away with Professor Oak," Misty waved.

"It was only for a day," Gary shrugged. "Here, I'll walk with you. Hopefully Ashyboy won't get mad."

"Thanks again, Gary."

"No problem, Red."

The two chatted about Pokémon, the weather, Ash, and, of course, _Gary's_ love life.

"What happened to your cheerleaders?" Misty wondered.

"They left," Gary answered, not really caring.

"Oh. So, what's up with you? Sure, you're a flirt, but there's bound to be girl for you," Misty said.

"Maybe later. I have to work with my grandfather," Gary replied. He was devoted with his work.

"Probably any girl would be lucky to have you," Misty commented.

"Even you?" Gary teased.

"I won't answer that," Misty smirked.

* * *

They had reached their destination after a few more conversations of about their lives. With Gary's help, Misty was done with all her chores and was finished for the whole week.

"Thanks Gary, for everything," Misty couldn't help but say again.

"When will you stop thanking me? I know, you owe me big," Gary joked.

"Okay, okay. Just know I'm grateful," Misty hugged him.

"You leave me for a couple of hours and you're already talking to other guys?" Ash showed himself, wearing his signature smirk.

"Ash? Why did you come? I was just leaving for your house," Misty wondered.

"I missed you," Ash kissed her. He stood protectively in front of the special redhead. "You can't have her Gary!"

"She's like a sister to me. So if she cries because of you, get ready for a nice beating!" Gary warned.

"She won't," Ash said, honesty and confidence could be seen in his eyes.

"Better not," Gary muttered, even though he knew Ash wouldn't hurt her. Well, just not intentionally.

"Come on, Misty. Gary can lock the gym." Ash held his girlfriend's hand and gently pulled her along.

"Okay. Bye Gary!" Misty grabbed her bag of her clothes for the week near the door. Gary watched them fade into the distance and sighed. "They were meant to be with each other," he thought, shaking his head at all the drama the two caused.

"It is so obvious."

* * *

_I'M SOOOOOOOOO SORRY! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOU READERS WHO REMEMBERED THIS STORY. Ha... So, I'm very, truly sorry. I feel like I rushed this chapter. Again, sorry for this one. I had some problems trying to add the chapter. Right when I decide to update this story, the website won't let me. Such bad luck. Thanks to Super Asian 265, I was able to update. The next chapter is the last. I considered lots of different events for this chapter. I knew I had to put Dawn and show what happened to her. I thought of Gary's relationship with Misty too. It's simpler to make them just friends. I also wondered if I could have Misty's talk with Gary at the same time with Ash's talk. In the end, I decided to make it separate to add the sleeping scene. It was a lot of thinking. XD _

_Don't make me say it. You know what to do. =]_


	10. A Peek in Their Lives

_Macy Webber: Thanks. :D_

_Papoteer: Thank you! I'm speechless at your wonderful comments. XD_

_I don't own Pokémon._

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A Peek in Their Lives

It has been awhile since Ash and Misty got together. Misty was named the top gym leader and the top water trainer. May and Drew already got married when they turned twenty. They were considered the best coordinator duo of all the lands. Dawn got with Paul, and Gary was still… well, Gary. Here's a small peek of where their lives are right now.

* * *

"Ash! Come on! All these years, and you still have the habit of being late!" Misty huffed. Her posture showed that she was impatient - arms lazily on her waist with one foot tapping. Her red hair was cut again. It was to her shoulders, much like when she had her hair down at that one festival. It didn't look messy though, more like neatly combed. It seems like her hair grew as she did. Misty wasn't a stubborn, tomboyish teenager anymore. Instead, she was a stubborn, tomboyish young _adult. _Now twenty-two years old, Misty has matured, but she still had a bit of a childish nature in her.

Ash had a _baby_ in him_. _He could be as mature as a three year old.

"Miiiiist! I can't tie my tie!" Ash whined. Misty sighed, shaking her head. She dropped her arms and walked towards her live-in boyfriend.

Ash couldn't help but smile at the sight of his girlfriend. Misty didn't have much makeup, excluding the teeniest amount of mascara, and ChapStick, if you would consider ChapStick makeup. She was wearing an elegant, but simple dress. It was light blue, long, and flowing around her figure. Misty had a scarf that matched the dress and flowed around her arms. After the redhead knotted the tie, Ash softly embraced Misty and touched her lips with his.

"Thanks," Ash said, with a kind of caring look that could make Misty melt inside.

"You're welcome," Misty replied. She tried resisting his eyes, but of course, she caved. They stood there for awhile, just staring at each other with small smiles. A loud "beep!" could be heard from a car outside. That woke Misty from her trance.

"Oh! Ash, we have to go. NOW!" Misty quickly pulled Ash along. Ash smirked. It was just so fun to make the gym leader so flustered.

The two hurried outside, meeting a car with Gary inside at the driver's seat. He had a tuxedo on. It was identical to the one Ash had, but a different tie. Ash also had a small flower in his front jacket pocket.

"Hey. Sorry for the wait. This guy couldn't dress right," Misty pointed to Ash.

"They should make a manual on how to tie a tie!" Ash frowned.

"As if you would read it," the girl scoffed.

"Quit flirting! We're going to be late for sure!" Gary piped up, gesturing to the couple to get in.

* * *

"They're so late!" a blue headed girl said, biting he nails.

"Don't be so worried Dawn," May responded. She had the same dress Misty had. The room they were in had many beautiful paintings. Huge mirrors were placed around Dawn. She had a strapless, white, frilly dress on. It had a long trail. Her hair was in a bun and was adorned with a tiara.

"I'm not worried! Paul is going to be though," Dawn crossed her arms.

"I'M HERE!" Misty busted the door open, panting slightly.

"Thank goodness," Dawn heaved a relieved sigh. "Come on!" The three went out the room and into another. They got into their places near their partners. May with Drew, Misty with Ash, and Dawn with her mom. The girls had a bouquet of flowers with Dawn's being the biggest.

Classical music began playing. The door opened, everybody sitting down turned, and the first two started walking down the aisle. They parted when they reached the priest and a waiting man. Misty and Ash walked next. Then, it was Dawn, smiling at Paul, who uncharacteristically gave a small smirk back. It was their big day. The priest started to talk.

"We are gathered today on this wonderful afternoon to share with Dawn and Paul," he spoke with a cheerful voice. The rest of the speech was typical: hopefully everlasting love, spending their lives together, and clear affection for one another.

"Paul, will you take Dawn to be your wife, your partner in life, and your one true love in sickness and in health?" the priest said.

Paul stared intently into Dawn's eyes. "I do."

"And Dawn-"the man started, but was cut off.

"OF COURSE!" the coordinator yelled, jumping to Paul and kissing him. The crowd cheered and whistled as the couple was in their own little world.

* * *

There was a big cake in the middle of the dining room. Paul and Dawn cut a slice and ate it together. Dawn mischievously poked her finger into the icing and placed some on her new husband's nose. Paul got mad, but started to laugh out of happiness. Dawn's chuckles joined in, along with the maid of honors and the best men.

* * *

"Okay, ready everyone?" Dawn threw her bouquet. Everybody watched it glide through the air, wondering who it was going to go to. The flowers landed right onto Misty's hands. She blushed and looked to Ash, who also looked red. People clapped for them. It won't be long now.

* * *

Well, there it goes. Take the good and the bad; remember it all. Even if you forget, it's still there in the back of your head, hidden, but much alive. So don't try to forget because it'll help you. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger, or something like that. That's a lesson Misty learned the hard way, even though she did get what she wanted at the end. Now, that's another story. Maybe if you stick to it long enough, it'll come around. Right? At least that's what happened to Misty.

END

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FINISHED. T.T So bittersweet. I'm happy I'm finished with it, but sad because it's over. Sorry with the ending scene and the update times. I don't actually know how weddings go. I kinda wanted this story to be short, but meaningful. Just something to read just before you sleep or something. I'll write a new story soon, and when I mean soon, I probably mean a few weeks. It'll hopefully be much longer than this one. It'll be called "Peach Soda", and for this story, Delia kind of adopted Misty. At first, Ash hated Misty, but after growing up together, they started acting just like real siblings. When Drew, Ash's best friend, confesses to Misty, things get very confusing for them.

Hopefully it won't suck. But anyway, I've decided not to rewrite this story. Partly because I'm lazy and partly because I'd like to see how much I grew. So yeah. Till next time?


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